Treatment for Dependent Drug Use: A guide for policymakers

This report draws a succinct inventory of treatment programmes and the evidence on their efficacy, urging policymakers to tailor initiatives on the basis of tried-and-tested approaches and with the support of an emerging network of experts in the strategic planning and delivery of effective treatment.

Many national governments and local administrations have had positive results from investing in the expansion of treatment programmes, but there have also been instances where inappropriate or ineffective treatment models have been promoted. There now exists a significant body of evidence around the world to support a policy focus on treatment, established principles for the development of treatment models, and methodologies that have been tested and found to be effective in a range of cultural and socio-economic contexts. There also exists an emerging network of experts in the strategic planning and delivery of effective treatment, who are available to support policymakers and service planners who do not have access to established expertise in their own countries. Those administrations who have increasing concerns about the level of health and social damage associated with drug use in their territories, should prioritise the development of effective treatment services as a proven method of tackling those harms.